Scouting report entering the season from Blueshirt Bulletin staff writer and author of The Prospect Park, Jess Rubenstein:

“The big thing on Missiaen is just that he is big at 6'8 and most scouts see him more as a "fun" project for Ranger goalie coach Benoit Allaire. You can not teach size which is what Missiaen has but that size is also we fear going to paint a very misleading picture of Missiaen for those seeing him for the first time. Because of his size, to the average fan Missiaen is going to appear clumsy and awkward for a kid just a couple of months past his 21st birthday. He has a 3 year deal with the Rangers which gives Allaire that much time to see if he can turn him into a real goalie prospect. Right now we project Missiaen at best as a member of the ECHL Greenville Road Warriors as we seriously can not see him beating out Chad Johnson or Cam Talbot for a spot with the CT Whale.” (8/5/11)

What they’re saying:

Rollie Melanson, Canadiens Goaltending Coach(9/17/08)–“For a big man, Jason is quite athletic”…"Size is a bonus, obviously, but he moves around like a small man. The biggest thing we've been working on is turning his feet, getting himself in position and allowing his size to work."

The Goalie Guild(3/23/11) – “At just 20 years of age, Missiaen is the epitome of a raw-skilled prospect. Because he has such a large frame, he’s often considered as a cumbersome, awkward goaltender that struggles to move in a fluid and efficient manner. From the few times I have seen him play, I feel he clearly has potential due to his size, but will have to work very hard to improve his foot speed and overall mechanics if he expects to have a successful pro career.”

Dan David, ’20 in 20’ Prospects Series (6/20/11)– “Perhaps the most impressive thing about Missiaen is the number of nights in which he was named the game’s No. 1 Star despite being on the losing side of the scoresheet. That run started on Oct. 8, when he made 28 saves and was the No. 1 star of a 3-2 shootout loss at Quebec, one of the league's powerhouse teams. He was a No. 1 star again three weeks later on Oct. 29 when he stopped 32 shots in a 4-3 shootout loss to Montreal, another league juggernaut.”

“A 30-save night was the norm, not the exception, for Missiaen, who closed out his season in typical fashion with 34 stops and No. 1 star honors in a 3-2 overtime loss to Quebec.”

“Now 21, Missiaen is a goalie who has truly improved year by year. Ranked 23rd among North American goalies in his draft year, he was drafted by Montreal but did not get a chance to sign with the Habs despite save percentages of .904 and .901 in his two seasons after the draft.”

Gordie Clark, Rangers’ Director, Player Personnel (6/20/11)– “He was able to keep a young, weaker team competitive and in a lot of games. So maybe the win-loss column wasn’t that good, but as far as having the ability to keep his team in a game, he was very good at that.”

Nick Perri, SNYRANGERSBLOG(9/6/11) – “Missiaen uses his size to his advantage in goal, and he is extremely hard to beat high on the glove or blocker side. He is known for using his stick often to knock away the puck, and he is daunting to opposing forwards one-on-one. Scouts agree that his CHL statistics are misleading, and that the former Peterborough Pete has a lot of upside and potential. Rangers’ goalie coach Benoit Allaire is a fan of Missiaen, and he will likely work with the young netminder throughout New York’s training camp to prepare him for Connecticut’s.”

(11/15/11) Hockey’s Future—“After he toiled between the pipes for four years in the CHL (playing in both the OHL and the QMJHL). Missiaen joined the ECHL Greenville Road Warriors this fall. Currently serving in a backup role to former Philadelphia Flyers prospect Nic Riopel, Missiaen is expected to have a long development curve.”